Loud Silence
by xxxWordWeaver
Summary: At a young age, he volunteered himself to be Konoha's greatest weapon. 5 years later, he is one of the best ANBU in he whole village. But a sudden change of events turns his systematic world upside down. Can Naruto learn to cope with these new emotions or does he crumble under his new findings? Not yaoi, just pure MinatoxNaruto family fluff. R&R please!


**Disclaime**r: If I own Naruto, I would make him as cool as Minato.

**Warnings**: This story in un-beta-ed.

**A/N**: This story has been stuck in my mind for a while now, so I guess it's alright to give another fanfic a go even if I have not updated the others in years. But now that my high school life is over and I officially have a two month break, I can dedicate myself to updating at least once in a while when I have some free time. This story has some plots from various fanfics partly because I am unsatisfied with some parts of the plots, but this is not any form of plagiarism. It is purely an inspirational spur of imagination from others' stories.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"...-ember to brush your teeth and eat healthy. Don't... forget to change your underwear and sleep before 11... Be-be careful of Jiraiya-sensei and.. don't touch his perverted book. If you have someone yo-you like.. wait until you are jounin before you date... a-and..and...there's so much...so much more..that i-i want to say-! A-And...! L-lastly...most importantly... protect your precious people and friends a-and remember...Naruto...that you are loved! I love you, we love you. K-Kaa-san loves you! Tou-san loves you! ..And...a-and...!"

"I-I'm sorry... Minato, I took up most of your time."

"It's alright Kushina."

"...Naruto, this is your Tou-san. Listen...to your motor-mouth mother."

"Shiiki Fuuin, Seal-!"

* * *

He didn't make a sound as his eyes shot open and a barely audible gasp slipped past his lips when he regained his breath. Although his hearts was racing a mile a second, his outward appearance gave nothing away.

Naruto closed his eyes as he recalled his dream.

A dream? ...Or a memory?

Letting out a puff of air, he got up from his small grey bed and peered through the bindings of his window. The navy-orange sky showed that it was still dusk. With a swift turn, he discarded his sweaty night shirt and headed for the showers.

As the cold water hit his face, he mentally checked the day's schedule.

'Light warm-up and training with Sai after the shower, then off to report to Danzo-sama for today's mission. Psychological examination with Inoichi-sama before mission. Report back to Danzo-sama after mission. Training with Anko-san until noon. Meet up with Nara-sama for shogi game. Training with Danza-sama until the evening. Self-training until night.'

His face grimaced at the though of meeting up with the old war Hawk. He thought that after 5 years with that geezer he would get used to him. He thought wrong. With a loud sigh, he turned off the tap and stepped out of the bathroom, only a towel wrapped around his waist.

As he rummaged around his closet for a set of standard ANBU gear, he stared at the mirror for a few minutes.  
Standing in front of the mirror, bright cerulean blue eyes bore back into his. Gravity-defying blonde hair stood up in all directions, and long side bangs framed his tan face that still has traces of baby fat. All in all he looked like a girl, a pretty one at that, but he tries not to think too deeply into it. Whoever his parents were, they had given him a set of dazzling genes- no pun intended.

His body was as well-built as it can be for an 8 year old seasoned ANBU, but due to his lack of height he is often mistaken for a 5 year old child and unfortunately, or fortunately, frequently underestimated.

Grabbing his tanto, a short standard ANBU blade, from beneath his pillow, he stalked towards the door and grasped the doorknob. Without warning, just as he was about to give it a twist, Naruto swished his tanto out of its sheath and deflected a rain of shuriken that was shotting straight for him at a high speed.

He flicked his wrist and threw something towards a random direction, or so it seemed, out of the window to a bush about five meters away.

A loud 'thump', followed by a small 'ouch!' told Naruto he had hit his mark without a flaw.

Shuffling out of the bush with a hand cradling a bruising forehead, a pale boy stumbled as he muttered under his breath.

"What a great way to counter an attack. I could not have thought of anything better than to throw a doorknob at an enemy, sempai."

Sai threw the doorknob back to Naruto, who caught it without even a glimpse and rolled his eyes.

"You better get that fixed, or Danzo-sama might add that to your rent."

Naruto arranged his fingers to mimic a mouth yapping away and a fore-finger in one ear showed that he doesn't give a damn. Sai scowled at the blatant display of disrespect towards their leader but refrained from commenting.

With a jerk of his head, Naruto gestured to a training field right outside his window and walked out of the broken door without so much as a backward glance. Sai waited for him until he was outside before joining him in the training grounds after murmuring a "dickless" under his breath.

Both boys did some stretches, several hundred sit-ups and push-ups, before making two sets of hundred laps around the field. After they deemed themselves relatively warmed up, Naruto and Sai shed off their weapons and stood a few feet apart from each other, both melting into their stances.

A moment of silence and stillness passed as they locked eyes. The wind seemed to stop bellowing and the trees stop swaying. Even the sound of birds and crickets disappeared. If a person was to observe the scene he would have thought he was looking at a still picture.

Then, just as still as it was, both bodies flickered away from sight and time caught on. The boys reappeared as they crashed with one another. The first hit was so strong on both sides that they were forced to separate, but they didn't even have the chance to breathe before exchanging blows after blows. The exchange started out at an even, slow pace at first.

Side-step-block-right fist-duck-left uppercut-drop down-a twist and right kick-left hit-block-forward step.

Both sides are warming up their muscles to get used to the speed. Steadily, the speed of the spar began to increase. It was getting ridiculously fast that you can only see a shadow of where their fists and legs collide.

Although it may seem to a civilian as if they are on par with one another, a war veteran, or even a jounin, could see that the spar was really one-sided. The blonde was moving quicker, sharper, giving blows rather than receiving them. Sai was starting to slow down, even if it was just a little, and took more hits than attack.

After thirty-minutes of pure taijutsu, Naruto gave Sai a roundhouse kick in the gut and flipped back. Sai flew backwards but managed to twist himself upwards where he landed on his feet. They both stopped, taking in each other's state. Whereas Sai was covered by a small gleam of sweat, Naruto was barely panting. Seeing this, an annoyed tick appeared on Sai's forehead and he gave the blonde a glare. The tick only grew bigger when Naruto shrugged his shoulders and shunshined away.

All Sai could do was shake his head sadly and flicker off to do some more training, thinking that the next time he was to warm-up, he should do it with someone other than Naruto.

* * *

As Naruto entered Danzo's office, it took not a small amount of effort to keep a grimace off his face and remain passive. Danzo stood with his back facing him, thank Kami for that, in all his wrinkled and bandaged glory. The dangerous thing about Danzo was not his cunning ways of manipulating the kage's council, nor is it his frightening ability to take away the emotions of most ROOT candidates. But it is his objective of an ideal Konohagakeru. In his mind, Konoha is a military-based hidden village where all ongoings within it should be under the utmost control of the shinobi council and the most capable shinobi of the village, in this case, himself. Danzo wishes to obtain total peace, in his mind it is the ruling of all shinobi nations under Konoha, even if it brings about war. Because he will do absolutely anything to ensure that his goal is met, and such a gruesome goal it is, is what makes Danzo dangerous.

A cane in his hand, Danzo turned his face a little to look down at Naruto, who was currently on one knee and a fist to the floor.

"Ah, Kitsune, on time as always. "

"..."

"Remember that you have an appointment with the Yamanka later before your mission. As I have briefed you yesterday; kill all enemies. Leave no survivors and lastly, no emotions. I expect a quick finish. Don't disappoint me. You are dismissed."

Naruto gave a sharp nod and body-flickered away.

* * *

Yamanka Inoichi was not having a good morning. The head of the Torture and Interrogation Department could sense a headache coming as the third person of the day came into the dimly lit room. The walls of the small room was plastered with so many chakra-suppression seals it was rather ridiculous, but as Morino Ibiki had said, "Just in case," and the Yamanka was slightly grateful to that man because if it were not for those seals he would have lost control of not only his chakra, but also temper.

Today is the day where our unfortunate Yamanka has to proceed a complete psychological test on all of the ANBU members. If the ANBU did not consist of the strongest, toughest and most bloodthirsty shinobi of Konoha, he would not be having such a hard time. But like their body physique, their minds are tough to read, and even harder to break. Most of all, it makes Inoichi frustrated that he just had to start with the strongest of ANBU and subsequently to the weakest. "While you are still fresh in the morning," Danzo had said.

The third patient that had walked in sat on a stool across Inouchi, facing him directly. Inouchi knew who he was. And at the same he didn't.

Blond hair, crystal blue eyes, high cheekbones, and three whisker markings on each side of his cheek. Most know him as Kitsune; the youngest and most prodigal ANBU Konoha has ever seen. Few know him as a young orphan boy, going by the name of Naruto. Although his most recognizable title to date, that everyone in the village above the age of 10 knew, is the Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi ni Yoko. The one who carries the demon inside of him because the Yondaime Hokage sealed it in him 8 years ago. Uzumaki Naruto.

Inouchi truly pitied that boy, who was condemned and cursed to bear the fate of a Jinchuuriki ever since he was born on that fateful night of October. He was the target of the villager's remorse and grief. Of those seeking revenge for their loved ones; he was the scapegoat to their misery.

But young Naruto had never complained, or at least he was never seen to. Inouchi knew he was protected by the Hokage's trusted and loyal ANBU ever since the lady in the orphanage kicked him out at the ripe age of 3. Inouchi had found it very odd that Naruto didn't voice his complaints, nor cry out in anger and pain. That is, until 5 years ago when he met the boy he found out why.

"Kitsune, nice to see you again. How have you been doing?" Inouchi asked professionally.

Naruto only shrugged as a response, and gave Inouchi a look that said 'what do you think?'.

"Well," said Inouchi, "Your last examination was two months ago and they showed positive results. I believe there is no need for further tests but just as a precaution, we'll do it anyway. Are you ready?"

Naruto nodded.

Inouchi plunged into Naruto's mind as his physical body plunged forward. He opened his eyes to a dimly lit surrounding.

'The same environment as always. Let's check on the rest'

Inouchi walked down a small corridor that looked kind of like a narrow tunnel. And at the end of the tunnel he could see a bright light. He stepped out of the dark and into the light.

'Complex as usual, no change there. I don't see any particular damage except for the usual ones.'

Inouchi was standing infront of the entrance to a maze. If he jumped on top of one of the hedges he know that he would see the exit of the maze leading to an underground sewer. A small area to the right of the maze was damaged, as it had been for 5 years.

'Time to get out'

Inouchi jolted to an upright position as he felt his mind return to his body. Naruto was rubbing his temples with his fingers to get rid of the after-effects.

"There's no problem with your psychological well-being for now. I don't see why we have to do this anyway. I'll tell Danzo-san you are cleared. Have a good day, Naruto"

Naruto got up of his seat, bowed to him in gratitude and left the room, not saying a word.

"ANBUs,"sighed Inouchi, "they're all the same. Don't know why I put up with them,"

* * *

A slash on his tanto in front of his enemy and blood splattered all around as the body fell to the ground. "P-please...! Spare me!" The feudal lord kneeled down in front of Naruto's feet, his hands grasping the hems of Naruto's ANBU uniform. Naruto responded by flicking blood from his tanto and bringing it to the pleading man's face.

"You...you monster..! You're a demon! I'm going to-!" And he was silences forever with a blade through his throat. He then made a clean cut across the man's neck, separating the head from its body. He proceeded to seal it into a storage scroll and placed it back into his pocket.

'Tell me something I don't know.' Naruto mentally thought to himself. 'Damn, the uniform's dirty. There goes my allowance for money.'

With that, the blonde disappeared into the shadows.

Naruto kneeled on one leg as he presented Danzo with the scroll containing the head of the feudal lord. Danzo passively took it from his hand and addressed him, "Clean work, I assume?"

Naruto nodded.

"Good. Clean up and proceed to meet Nara, he requested your presence for the rest of the afternoon. When the sun begins to set, go back and write me a full report on this. I want it done by tomorrow. Understood?"

Another nod.

"You're dismissed."

Naruto gave a stiff bow and poof away.

* * *

"You are getting better at this Kitsune. If you keep this up, my son will have someone that he might need to keep up with, and I might have to resign of being the champion of shogi  
In Konoha."

Naruto dipped his head in acknowledgment, but said nothing. He was currently sitting cross-legged across Nara Shikaku in the Nara compound, and in between them was a shogi board.

"Listen Kitsune, I know this is troublesome, and being an ANBU you cannot reveal your identity. But is it alright if you have a match with my son when you are free? I know you don't have much free time, but do this as a favor to an old friend that taught you shogi? You owe me one after all."

Naruto blinked in surprise. This was one of those rare occasions that someone ask him to do a favor other than it being a mission. He hesitated for a moment, not being sure whether he could keep his word on this or not. After a while, Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"Thanks Naruto. I won't forget this. Shikamaru will have someone to play against without getting bored, besides me I mean."

All Naruto could do was shrug his shoulders. There wasn't any way to get out of this. He did owe the man after all. Naruto looked up into the sky and saw a tinge of orange beginning to spread throughout. Sunset. He gave a sigh and gave Shikaku a two finger salute, indicating that he had to go.

"Go on," Shikaku said, " I'll see you next week for our next match."

Naruto then disapeared in a swirl of leaves. When he was gone, all Shikaku could do was rub his temples as he muttered, "Troublesome, he did that on purpose and want me to clean it up his mess."

The Nara got up from the floor and walked towards the direction of the broom closet.

"He should voice out that he might not keep his promise if only he wasn't mute."

* * *

**A/N**: So…How was that? I hope you enjoyed it. I'll publish the next chapter as soon as I get reviews :D They fuel my imagination, so please! Press the blue button down there!


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